Amid The Shadows Ch. 10

Jensen eyed the pews with mild dissatisfaction. The hooded figures outnumbered them no doubt. But he could feel himself itching for a fight. The sexual frustration lingered from the distraction spell on the statue. He looked into Alexis face before him. She looked around uneasy before glancing back to his face.

'I think you and I are magnets for trouble.' He smiled.

'You maybe, I'm a delicate flower.' She smiled back.

The mass of hooded figures descended around them, a few leapt from the balcony above, the rest descended the wooden stairs creating a thunderous noise echoing throughout the space.

Alex bent slightly, the back pack she carried slipped from her shoulder and fell at Jensen's feet. She pinched his leg and then nodded to the bag. He dripped his head and watched as she slowly extracted a dragger from under her Jean leg.

She straightened and handed him the item, he bent and kissed her ferociously as he drew back he whispered in her ear.

'You are a surprise.'

She pressed her face to his and breathed against his face,

'You can thank me if we make it out of here.'

They switched places, Alex bent to the bag and extracted an item. She threw something to Claude, who caught it on instinct and as a trio they whirled towards the men approaching.

One man stepped forward and threw back his hood. Alex gasped at the scarred face of the man before her, His face was badly disfigured on his right, it caught the light from the sainted glass window, his mismatched features bathed in an amber glow.

'I see the warnings of my brotherhood went unheeded Mage.'

He moved forward swiftly until he stood a few feet before them. Jensen and his companions immediately went on the defensive, all taking a stance ready for a fight.

He chuckled at the sight and clinked his fingers. 'We know you are procuring the stone for this man.'

A young boy stepped forward from amid the hoods, he looked no more than a boy. He looked to Alex his eyes going wide, she saw his pupils change and flicker to a gold. A gold she had seen before.

'A halfling' She whispered.

The boy looked frightened and turned to the speaker. He shook his head. 'Show them' His voice boomed across the church.

The boy wiped his hands on his trousers. Alex noticed he was impeccably dressed, he looked to her and his cheeks reddened. He spoke softly and held out his hand. With grace and ease he created an image. The image was Alastair. The man bent and whispered something in the boy's ear. He smiled in response. The man ruffled his hair.

'This man is Alistair Wentworth. Are you seeking the dark stone for him?' The man asked.

'Why should we tell you anything?' Claude enquired.

The man smiled, his face distorting further. He moved around the church, his hand gliding along the statue. 'The key was easily found, was it not?' In a fluent Gaelic, he turned to Alex.

Alex frowned and answered him in Gaelic. 'You knew we would come here?'

He inclined his head, 'You have been expected for a long time.'

Alex lowered her dragger and moved forward. Jensen arm shot out and he grabbed her roughly. She winced.

'Don't.' He held her gaze.

'You're hurting me.' Jensen removed his hand and observed the burn on her skin.

'Alex' He carefully raised her arm to his mouth.

Alex snatched it away quickly and cradled her arm to her chest, dragger in her other hand tightly. She could feel the skin burning. She looked at him horrified.

The hooded man spoke in Gaelic as they stared at each other.

'You could come with me now, my master wishes to speak with you, that is all Miss Martinez.'

'And my friends?' Alex answered fluently.

'My guards will watch them, that is all.'

'Swear it.' Alex pointed her dagger at the boy. 'On his life.'

The man's Eye's widened. 'On my honour, I Adam Forest do pledge.' He held out his hand to her.

*

Karl dreamed for the first time in days. He lay on his side on the woodland floor surrounding the Martinez estate. His monthly problem had needed to be addressed and his frustration at Alexis' disappearance had charged his change easily. He'd hunted and run until he fell into an exhausted sleep a few miles from the main house. Slipping into a deep sleep for many hours before he slept lighter and began to dream.

A couple before him where dancing, spinning around and around a glittering ballroom. Alex threw back her head and laughed at something her partner had said. Karl frowned and tried to push his conscious forward. His mind wouldn't let her partner relieve himself. All he saw was the back of a head and a tailored suit.

As he spun to observe his surroundings, the ballroom's elegance and decoration did not go unnoticed. The room was light in decoration dressed in accents of gold and purple. The band in the corner, the source of the music played flamboyantly.

A warm hand touched his arm.

'Things turned out well didn't they?'

Alex spoke from beside him, her face flushed and radiant. Upon seeing her, Karl felt a flush of emotion and attachment, she patted his arm absently and rubbed her stomach.

'Maybe a little bit too much champagne?' She laughed. 'he won't let me have a minute to myself' She stared off into the distance and waved. She stretched on her tip tops and kissed Karl's cheek.

'I love you Karl, thank you.'

Before he could issue his own declaration a hand engulfed his own, He looked down at the hand in his own, his gaze following the arm trail to a face. A woman with eyes the colour of bitter chocolate, almost black stared at him with such love his chest tightened. She blushed and dipped her head, long straight hair falling forward.

Karl bolted upright from his dream surrounded by woodland and a dusk sky. He heart was pounding in his chest and his eyes ached. That woman's face so familiar, they felt...connected. As he wiped a hand over his face. The sounding of a mobile phone ringing reached his ears. He scrambled to his suit pants and pulled the item from his pants before answering.

*

Alex followed Adam down the corridor of the cathedral. The old sand stone walls where barely a breath of a person wide, the dark floor echoed their steps. It smelled like flowers and something else, something...old.

Alex watched Adam pull something from his pocket as the light from their entrance into the corridor began to fade. He rubbed it a few times and it glowed a pearlscent green. It gave the hall a Gothic glow.

'Neither is the black stone, but you have seen it, haven't you?' His voice was accusing.

'I've seen many things.'

'Of that I'm sure' The insult in his tone didn't go unnoticed, before Alex could question him they found themselves in front of a door.

Adam knocked once and entered.

* George had been cradling the cup of coffee for a while, he'd sat on the edge of Alex's bed for three times as long. It took he half the time to realise how little he knew about his daughter. Her room was tidy except the dressing table. On it where books, make up, perfumes, several post it notes stick to the mirror with personal notes and appointments and two photographs. One of her and Karl stood together at her graduation and one of her much younger with her grandfather.

A discarded jumper was within hand's reach, he lifted it lightly to his nose. It smelt like wash powder and fragrance. He set his cup aside and folded it neatly.

He could recall clearly the first words Paul had uttered, his first steps but when he tired to think of Alexis' milestones his mind drew a blank. Reflecting on his own actions he felt shame, a little guilty. His own father had doted on her, spending hours explaining the smallest things with patience and love. Was it any wonder his picture took pride of place?

His thoughts turned to Paul and turned angry. His son was a product of his own environment, spoilt by his father and evolved into something George couldn't figure out.

George stroked his tie and stood. Karl came through the door as he stepped forward.

Karl looked bashful, 'I'm sorry, I-'

George looked around. 'I know very little about my daughter Karl.'

They stood in silence observing the space around them. Karl lightly brushed his fingers along some of the items on the dressing table. A light sheen of dusk had settled on some items. He looked into the mirror at George, his eyes catching on the photo in the right hand corner. The pads on his fingers caressed it lightly.

'My mind won't let me settle, I don't know what to do about Paul without compromising Alexis.' He sighed. 'I have this heavy burden of guilt weighting upon me. I need to righten it somehow.'

Karl cleared his throat and moved away from the memories. 'you'll have plenty of time when Alex is home.'

'We need to open the portal.' George said seriously

Karl nodded, a slow grin slowly breaking across this face. 'Been a while since my wolf has tasted vampire.'